Page 89 of Boardroom Sins

You’rehookedon it.

I shove that down. This is about Gideon, nothing more. It has to be.

So, with my mind made up, I rise to my feet and shoulder my bag. As I do, the first message goes away and a new one appears. The only thing that surprises me about it is how unsurprised I am.

Good girl.

I’ll see you soon.

29

RAE

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT PLAN

Filed: November 28, 2025, 17:34 EST

Aircraft: Gulfstream G650 (N-339LZ)

Operator: Lazarev Global LLC

Departure: Teterboro, NJ (KTEB)

Destination: Bordeaux, France (LFBD)

Flight Time: 7h 12m

Passengers: 2

Pilot Notes: "VIP transport. Discretion required."

The car is waiting at the curb. It’s the same black Rolls Royce and the same silent driver from the gala.

Once again, he declines to look at me as I get into the backseat. He just returns to his place behind the wheel, pulls away from the building, and merges into traffic.

I watch through the tinted windows as we drive. Midtown gives way to the tunnel. Then we’re heading north, bound for God knows where.

My phone vibrates in my hand.

JILLIAN PIERCE

Where are you? Drinks tonight???

Rain check. Something came up.

:( Everything ok?

I don’t know how to answer that in detail, so for now, I just give her a smiley face and a thumbs-up. I’ll fill her in once I know what happens.

The drive takes longer than I expected. To my confusion, we leave Manhattan entirely. The skyline of the city shrinks in the rearview mirror until it’s just a smudge of sparkling light against the darkening sky.

I assumed we were going to a restaurant, some fancy place with a three-month waitlist and portions the size of postage stamps.

But we’re not heading toward any restaurant district I know.

We’re heading toward nothing. Industrial buildings. Empty lots. A stretch of chain-link fence topped with razor wire.

Then I see it.